I've not been diagnosed with Celiac, but I'm definitely gluten intolerant. I've suffered from stomach pains that radiate into my back, and canker sores for well over 20 years. I've had allergy tests, upper and lower GI's, endoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasounds, etc. and the docs have never found a thing. But they were never looking for Celiac.

I even had a doc tell me I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and put me on a high gluten diet that about killed me!

I discovered in February another woman who had my exact symptoms, and she had recently been diagnosed with Celiac. I had blood work done, but it came back inconclusive. With the guidance of my former boss (who is a doctor and GF), I went off wheat. I've been pain free since!

DH still doesn't buy into it because I'm self-diagnosed and he thinks Gluten Free is just the latest diet craze.

Anyways, I'm here and it's nice to meet you all.

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Your crazy is showing. You might want to tuck that back in....

A high gluten diet really does sound like a killer if you have IBS - i have IBD (ulcerative colitis) and follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) with great success - it's grain free, lactose free and sugar free but soooo worth it. I've been wheat free for nearly 12 months but had started eating quite a few commercial GF foods (cookies etc.!) and my UC came back after a few months but is settling back down again now i'm sticking strictly to SCD.

Make sure you read the book Wheat Belly by Dr. Davis. You will have a great understanding of the problems with wheat, gluten, and ideas that will help you.

Thanks. I did read it a few months ago. A lot of eye openers in there! I realized the "heat rash" I get periodically isn't a heat rash at all. I now know that my canker sores are partially from wheat as well. I'm also sensative to fresh pineapple and other citrus fruits and never could understand why I'd get sores in my mouth when I hadn't eaten any fruit.

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Your crazy is showing. You might want to tuck that back in....